“We are in three competitions. Fantastic. That means we are doing well. Whether we can win them is going to be so difficult. But we’re in three competitions and because we are in three, we want to try and win them.

“I can’t help people’s perceptions, how they want to see what I’ve said. It’s not me being big-headed or anything. I am what I am. We are in three competitions, like it or lump it.”

Stubbs will speak his mind and he’s not too bothered at rival boss Tommy Wright playing the underdog card. The Saints gaffer said Hibs were favourites as they are in form and have a bigger budget. Fine by Stubbs.

He said: “I can understand why Tommy said that but I don’t think there’s any relevance to it.

“They’ve won a Scottish Cup, they’ve qualified consistently for Europe and they’ve got a lot of experience in the team. On the day, it’s going to be about who turns up and plays the best, added with a little bit of luck along the way.

“When that whistle blows, it means nothing. It’s fair comment about the budget. I’m not going to turn round and say anything different.

“I’m thankful that I’m in the position where I’ve been allowed to spend. We feel as if we’ve brought in some really good additions and we feel the team is going in the right direction from the one I inherited.

“Yes, my budget probably is bigger. I’m happy it’s bigger. I think it’s great. I want a team that wins things. I want my team to emulate me and what the club stands for.

“We want to be successful. And in order to be successful you have to speculate to accumulate. I’ve been allowed to do that.”

Alan Stubbs (Image: SNS)

With a bigger budget comes bigger expectation - and more pressure.

But Stubbs said: “I’ve got no problem with the expectation. I’ve never looked at pressure. I call it excitement. In order to get to a final, I don’t think that’s pressure.

“In order to be competing for the championship, that’s not pressure. Pressure’s when you’re trying to stave off relegation and you’re going out in the early rounds to lower-league teams. If this is pressure, then it’s a great pressure.”

Yet pressure is always a word that seems to haunt Hibs. Big game bottlers is another phrase that gets thrown Easter Road way on an annual basis.

Stubbs - obviously - doesn’t buy that idea either and he insisted his men can handle the heat.

Anthony Stokes makes his second Hibs debut (Image: SNS Group)

He said: “The more big games you play in the better you are prepared for them. It’s not something I worry about. When you have been there in big games you know they can go one way or another.

“I think the important thing is that we focus on making sure we perform. I have got no doubt whatsoever that we will.

“I fully trust the players we have got. They’re a very talented group. We are going to have to perform as well as we have this season to come through this group. There is no denying that.

“I really do think either team could come through the game.

“We have played some big teams in this competition before now. We are going to play another one on Saturday. Ask me the question after the game.”